On October 15-16, the Târgu Mureș city of Transylvania hosted Armenian Culture Days, which were organized by the Union of Armenians of Hungary with the support of the Embassy of Armenia in Romania. The program included a conference, an exhibition showcasing maps of Historic Armenia, a concert, a contest for teens and an exhibition-sale of works made by masters of folk art, as reported the press service of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Hayern Aysor.

On the morning of October 15, RA Ambassador to Romania Hamlet Gasparyan opened the conference that was held at the Culture Chamber of Târgu Mureș and included speeches devoted to the role that notable Armenians have played in Transylvania, as well as in Hungary in the 19^th-20^th centuries.

“Preservation of the Armenian identity is on an institutional basis in Romania since the Romanian government provides funding for the activities of the Union of Armenians of Romania, under which there are cultural centers, museums, libraries, an editorial office, a publishing house, a printing house and a one-day Armenian school. The Romanian government also covers a part of the expenses for the renovation and maintenance of Armenian churches and monasteries. The University of Cluj has opened an Institute for Armenian Studies, Armenian is taught at the University of Bucharest, and Western Armenian and Eastern Armenian language textbooks have been published. The Union publishes dozens of books and studies devoted to the Armenians and Armenian historical and cultural heritage every year. Topics devoted to Armenia and the Armenians are presented on television and radio and in the presses, as well as in theaters and concert halls. The Government of Armenia also participates in the preservation of the Armenian identity in Romania. The RA Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Diaspora, Culture, Education and Territorial Administration are actively engaged in the implementation of various programs and projects,” the Ambassador emphasized in his speech. Armenia’s representative also attached special importance to the decentralized cooperation between the two countries and the role of that cooperation in the lives of the local Armenians and in encouraging care for Armenian heritage. Ambassador Gasparyan praised the efforts of the Armenian community of Romania, particularly the Armenians of Transylvania for preservation of the Armenian identity, especially for the engagement of the youth.

On this occasion, Armenia’s Ambassador granted certificates of appreciation of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to President of the Union of Armenians of Hungary in Târgu Mureș Atila Pushkas, as well as President of the Union of Armenians of Hungary in Georgen Lasloo Kulchar and member of the board Gyula Bushlig. Afterwards, speakers from various cities of Transylvania and from Budapest gave speeches devoted to notable opera singer Cornelia Holosi (1827-90) (from a family of Armenian Catholics of Transylvania), pianist Gyula Shyonher (1864-1908), gold medalist of the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games Layos Kerestes (1900-78), notable clergyman Joachim Gyorog and hero of the 1960 Hungarian Revolution Gergey Pongraz (1932-2005).

After the conference, member of the National Philharmonic of Târgu Mureș Domokos Os gave a speech devoted to the Armenian duduk and performed the songs of Komitas and Armenian songs at the Cultural Palace, and the Andras Lorant Dance Group performed Armenian dances.

In the evening, Ruben Galichyan opened his exhibition called “A Look at the History of Armenia through Cartography” at the State Museum in the medieval fortress of Târgu Mureș. Ambassador Gasparyan gave his opening remarks, and cartographer, Professor of the Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj, Dr. Sombor Bartos-Elekes presented the exhibition. The results of the cognitive contest for Armenian youth were summed up at the museum, and the winners received their awards.

The next day, Romanian-Armenian artists showed and sold their sculptures, ceramic and clay objects devoted to Armenia and the Armenians at one of the squares in central Târgu Mureș.

Among the attendees of the Armenian Culture Days in Târgu Mureș were representatives of state, political and religious circles and hundreds of guests, including representative of the Hungarian-Armenians in the Parliament of Hungary Tamas Turgyan and Consul General of Hungary in Mierkurea Chuk Zoltan Shandor. The local presses provided wide coverage of the events.

During the Armenian Culture Days, Ambassador Gasparyan visited the Catholic Church and Catholic cemetery of Târgu Mureș where scenes of the baptism of Armenian King Trdat by St. Gregory the Illuminator are portrayed in the altar and in the glass pictures of the church, and the bodies and crypts of famous Armenians of Transylvania are found in the basements of the church and at the cemetery.